Contents

Summary

Ichigo blocking an attack from Yammy Llargo.

Having arrived just in time to keep Yammy Llargo from smashing Orihime Inoue, Ichigo Kurosaki apologizes for being late. He tells Inoue not to apologize for her feeling of weakness, and he wastes no time in releasing his Bankai. Inoue can feel the weight of the strong spiritual pressure, but she notices that it’s a little different than when she felt it in Soul Society during Ichigo's fight with Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. Seeing the orange hair and the black Bankai, Ulquiorra Cifer identifies Ichigo as the one they’re after, so Yammy tries to attack. Ichigo, however, stops Yammy's fist and slices off his right arm in retaliation for what the Arrancar did to Yasutora Sado. As he watches Yammy get beat up, Ulquiorra thinks to himself that Ichigo is strong, but this level of power isn't a threat to Sōsuke Aizen. Yammy eventually has had enough when he reaches to pull out his Zanpakutō, surprising Ichigo because he didn't realize who he was fighting. It quickly dawns on Ichigo that Yammy might be the same as Shinji Hirako or even himself, and it’s at this moment that Ichigo's Hollow side tries to take over. While he tries to suppress his inner Hollow, Ichigo leaves himself open to Yammy's physical attacks, causing Inoue to come running out of concern. Yammy backhands her before continuing dishing out his punishment onto Ichigo. As Yammy beats Ichigo, Ulquiorra begins to notice that there are huge fluctuations now in Ichigo's spiritual pressure, and the highest point exceeds even his own power.

Urahara saves Ichigo.

Yoruichi beats Yammy into the ground.

When Yammy tries to deliver a crushing blow onto Ichigo's battered body, his fist is stopped by a red shield. Ichigo's saviors turn out to be Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin, and the latter immediately throws Yammy into the ground. Although an infuriated Yammy gets back up, Yoruichi knocks him back down by delivering a series of kicks to his head. She reaches Inoue and is about to administer some medicine when Yammy roars back to life, opens his mouth, and fires a Cero blast, but it is deflected by Urahara. The former 12th Division captain explains that he used a similar attack to nullify the blast and then demonstrates his ability by firing an energy blast with his Zanpakutō, Benihime. Before the attack reaches Yammy, Ulquiorra steps in and swats away the attack. Ulquiorra also hits Yammy in the gut and tells Yammy he is outmatched by both Yoruichi and Urahara, both of whom he recognized. He then opens a Garganta so that they can retreat, but believes that he could take on the two former captains because they would have to protect the two pieces of trash - Ichigo and Inoue - while fighting him. As he leaves, Ulquiorra reveals that he’s going to report to Aizen that the Substitute Shinigami isn't worth killing.

The Shinigami arrive in the Human World.

In the aftermath of the battle, Yoruichi returns to Urahara's Shop and starts eating large amounts of food. Once she finishes, she admits to Urahara that it was a mistake for her not to use Shunkō, since the Arrancar were a lot tougher than she and Urahara had anticipated. Ichigo, meanwhile, has gone home and is lying in bed still thinking about how he could get distracted by his Hollow side. Both Inoue and Ichigo show up in bandages to school the next day, and although Ichigo has something to say to her, he never goes through with saying it. Instead, he remembers how she had blamed herself for getting injured and told him that her wounds didn't hurt. That’s why she didn't want him to apologize to her while looking at her in that way. Ichigo is pissed off at himself because everyone got hurt or was almost killed as a result of him being weak, and he doesn't know what he can do aside from apologize.

Rukia and Ichigo reunite.

While Ichigo is reflecting upon his current state, a group of people walk towards his classroom. This group of five attracts a lot of attention to themselves even though they’re trying to blend in. These people are: Lieutenant Renji Abarai, 3rd Seat Ikkaku Madarame, 5th Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto, and Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya. They explain that the higher-ups of Soul Society wanted to prepare for a battle with the Arrancar by sending them to this world to join up with Ichigo's group. Having never heard the term before, Ichigo doesn't know what an Arrancar is, and this causes Renji to wonder if Ichigo doesn't even know what he was fighting. To clarify the situation, a familiar female voice adds that the Arrancar are the ones who beat up Ichigo a few days ago. Appearing in the window is a person Ichigo hasn't seen for a while: Rukia Kuchiki.

Shinigami Illustrated Picture Book

Ganju Shiba is invited to a cookout by Captain Retsu Unohana and Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu and 7th Seat Hanatarō Yamada brings the ingredients. He forgets the meat though, but luckily Unohana had brought some meat with her. They then eat their meal and Hanatarō asks where she got the meat. She states that she got it by the gate, and Ganju believes that they just ate his boar, Bonnie.